Iran breaks its record for most one- day virus cases

Iran yesterday reported its highest single- day toll of new coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic with more than 5,000 new infections, as the country struggles to cope with a surge in transmission.

Iran’s health ministry also reported that 322 people had died from the virus, pushing the death toll over 31,000. The new infection count yesterday eclipsed the previous high of 4,830 last week, shining a light on the nation’s floundering efforts to combat the virus.

Health minister Saeed Namaki made a dramatic appeal for people to follow health guidance measures, saying that without public help, “the pandemic in this country will not get better and we’ll have to collect the bodies,” the semi- official Isna news agency reported.

“People, be aware, I, as the health minister, cannot fix this epidemic and the situation alone,” he said.

31,000 nurses infected

Hospitals in the hard- hit capital of Tehran are overflowing. Last week, health officials announced that the city had run out of intensive care beds for virus patients.

In a grim reminder of outbreak’s heavy toll on medical workers, Hamidreza Azizi, deputy head of Iran’s nurses’ organisation, announced yesterday that 31,000 nurses have been infected with the coronavirus in the country, with 6,000 currently sick and staying home fromwork and 54 confirmed dead.

Lebanese security chief tests positive

A top Lebanese security official has tested positive for Covid- 19 in the US, his department said, forcing him to delay his return from talks in Washington and to cancel scheduled meetings in Paris.

Major- General Abbas Ebrahim is in good health, the directorate of General Security, which he heads, added in a tweet.

Ebrahim met US national security adviser Robert O’Brien at the White House last week to discuss American citizens held in Syria, the Wall Street Journal reported.